03 November 2010

Dents Peccary Gloves

L to R: Dents Tan Peccary, Brown & Tan Peccary, Black Peccary and Driving Glove - Good for a life

The Ho - Hum: Brown, cordovan and black - Good for a season

A leather reinforcement or 'quirk' improves fit

Cashmere lining does not pull out

Looks good with covert cloth

Peccary doesn't make it any easier to get a cab - Just more fun

Skin color and grain are matched and hand sewn

Measure writing hand at widest point

Unlined Peccary

Like a NYC pre-war apartment door. Like a double breasted Savile Row suit. Like a pair of WWII khakis. Like a '70s Rolex Sub. You know it when you feel it. That physical gravitas that is unknown today. Pick up a pair of Dents Peccary gloves and you immediately notice the heft and the substance followed by the realization that what you're holding is unlike any glove you've ever known.

The Dent Peccary glove lined in cashmere has soul and heart under its weight. And you know there's a damned good chance it will be worn and appreciated long after you've left this world. Peccary is a South American wild hog with a passing resemblance to the Sloths I saw in Panama. It's an ugly looking animal with a nasty disposition. They frequently fight among themselves leaving them with scars on their skin and ultimately...your gloves.

There's a patina to the leather with small holes where hair grew out. Sewn by hand, they are a disappearing luxury from a company in Warminster, England that goes back to 1777. Only two drawbacks. They draw a lot of attention from women. One woman tried to steal a pair of my Peccaries in a bar. Two, they don't come cheap.

Eight Christmases ago, the Foxtrot and I decided to forgo gift frequency for gift severity. We'd give each other only one gift but we'd make that gift special. She gave me Peccary gloves - - although I doubt she knew giving gloves at Christmas is a tradition dating back to medieval times. In the years since I've chased down many a cab and bus to get them back. I still have them.

The rich gold color contrasts well with a covert coat. Any Barbour but especially the Blue Border. A camel Polo coat. A tweed Chrysalis field coat. Even my old army field jacket. And in a world of S,M,L & XL, it makes sense a company that's been around since 1777 offers individual sizes. Gloves are all about the fit. I'm a 9. Just like my shoes. Measure your writing hand across the widest point to determine your size. If you're between - round up. Besides, once a man is north of 35 - he should know his glove size and have a proper pair of gloves.

Visit 'Trad Approved' for the details. Full disclosure: Dents issued me a pair of Peccary gloves for a ten year test after which they will be returned to the factory for a full field report. I hope I don't lose them.

I have I have spoken to Jon Cline @ H Herzfeld (118 E. 57th, NYC - 212.753.6756)> he just received a shipment of Dents peccary gloves. I know he would be happy to help you. Please let me know if you need anything else.

I hv nvr been a big fan of Dent's peccary gloves. I think the way they make the lining makes the gloves too bulky and look like work gloves instead. Not sure about the unlined ones but in my opinion, if you are looking for a serious pair of peccary gloves, just hit Merola or Causse Gantier. Satisfaction guaranteed.

Anon 7 Dec- I'm not sure how one can guarantee satisfaction while being anonymous. I did research Merola and Causse Gantier. Merola turned out to be a toughie. A very odd web site and I never did find a peccary glove. I'm not sure satisfaction can be guaranteed when I can't figure out where the glove is.

Dents provided me with some interesting details and a response:

"Merola was established in 1870 in Naples. Dents was established in 1777 and in the 1800s through the early 1900s,Dents had a factory in Naples that employed and trained Italians in the art of glove making.

It's hard to comment on Merola's peccary gloves because we can't find them on their website.

Causse France was established in 1892 in Millau ,France. Here again Dents (est. 1777) were manufacturing in Grenoble in the 1800s.

On the web site you can count the follicles of the gloves. They're genuine because it has 3 follicles.

Pecarry leather originates from a wild pig- like animal from South America and Mexico. The leather is smooth, firm, soft and very durable/strong due to it's thickness. A genuine peccary leather glove can be identified by it's three follicles. In contrast, Carpincho leather, which come from a water rodent originating from Brazil, has 3 to 7 follicles. The leather has excellent stretch ( important in glove manf), softness and hard wearing. It is often mistaken for genuine peccary leather.

Dents peccary leather gloves have quirks between the fingers which create a much better fit and is a much more expensive and skilled manf process. We could not identify quirks on the other manfs gloves. The cashmere linings used by Dents is far heavier than normal and is knitted in Scotland from Johnson's cashmere yarn, which is recognised as probably the world's finest cashmere yarn. Equally, Dents uses a far heavier weight of Milanese silk lining than competitors.

Peccary is a rugged sporty leather and it's bulkiness will depend on the quality of the lining and the design of the glove. We do not wish to use lightweight, cheaper, often inferior leather and linings for gloves that beat the Dent's name.

Dents was established a hundred years before these two companies, with which we are being compared. In buying a pair of pecarry leather gloves the customer should consider the heritage and experience in making gloves." Dents

I'll add personal taste is important here as well. I've seen the unlined pecarry Dents offers and they're beautiful. Perfect for those living in warmer places but who still wish to wear a lighter glove with character.

The Purple Label pecarry gloves I've had for seven years or so were made in Italy and do not have quirks. While quirks may be there for fit, they also help with durability. I've had the PL gloves repaired twice at the seams in the fingers. Plus the cashmere lining has worn out in spots. They may well become unlined pecarry gloves before I know it.